How to Sign Documents on iPhone (Free, No App Needed)
Short answer
To learn how to sign documents on iPhone, open the file in a supported app such as Notes. Tap the Markup (pen) icon, tap the plus (+) button and choose Add Signature. Draw your signature with your finger and tap Done. Drag it into place, then save or share the file.
Join the Kwalify waitlist to get documents signed on WhatsApp
What is the best way to sign documents on my iPhone?
For most people the iPhone’s built-in Markup tool is the best way, because it works in supported apps such as Notes. According to Apple Support, you sign by opening Markup and adding a signature. These are the steps:
- Open the file in a supported app, such as Notes.
- Tap the Markup (pen) icon.
- Tap the plus (+) button, then choose Add Signature.
- Draw your signature with your finger. Rotate the phone sideways for more room.
- Tap Done.
- Drag the signature onto the signature line.
- Save or share the file.
A signature you have saved can be reused, so you do not need to redraw it each time. You will find it under the same plus (+) button.
If you want a signature image to practise with or reuse elsewhere, try the free signature generator.
How do I save a signed PDF on iPhone?
Once the PDF exists, sign it with Markup as above. Save the signed version as a new file, for example “Lease-signed.pdf”, so the original stays unchanged.
Dropbox explains how to sign a PDF on an iPhone with its app, including drawing a signature with a finger or stylus.
Which documents should you check with an attorney first?
Some documents should not be signed on a phone without advice. The ECTA does not make these valid (section 4(4) and Schedule 2):
- an agreement for the alienation of immovable property (such as a sale of land), under the Alienation of Land Act
- an agreement for a lease of immovable property for more than 20 years, under the Alienation of Land Act
- executing, keeping and presenting a will or codicil, under the Wills Act
- executing a bill of exchange, under the Bills of Exchange Act
Check with an attorney before signing one of these electronically.
How Kwalify helps: Kwalify asks your clients for details and documents on WhatsApp, checks the documents against your rules and sends anything that fails a rule to a person to decide. It sends reminders until everything is in. It gets documents signed with a standard electronic signature, using a one-time code, with an audit trail of who signed and when, and a sealed PDF. You can also make a signature image with the free signature generator. Join the waitlist
Checklist: before you sign
Copy this list or print it, then tick each item.
[ ] 1. Is the file in a supported app such as Notes?
[ ] 2. Is it the final version? Save a copy first.
[ ] 3. Is it a Schedule 2 document (land sale, lease of more than
20 years, will or codicil, bill of exchange)? If yes, check with
an attorney first.
[ ] 4. Rotate the phone sideways for a bigger drawing area.
[ ] 5. Draw and place the signature on the signature line,
not over text.
[ ] 6. Name the saved file clearly, for example "Lease-signed.pdf".
[ ] 7. Send it from Mail, Messages or AirDrop and keep the sent copy.Need a document for signing? Start from the invoice template or the invoice generator.
FAQ
How do I sign a PDF on my iPhone without an app?
Open the PDF in a supported app such as Notes, tap the Markup icon, tap the plus button and choose Add Signature. Draw your signature, tap Done, then drag it onto the signature line and save the file.
How do I add a saved signature to another document?
In Markup, tap the plus button and choose Add Signature. Your saved signature should show up there, so you can place it again without redrawing it. Check Apple Support if your iOS version looks different.
Can I sign a Word document on an iPhone?
The simplest route is to save or export the Word file as a PDF, then sign it with Markup.